MAPS Blackholes 24/7 Exactis

November 16, 2000

Anti-spam group Mail Abuse Prevention System LLC yesterday listed approximately 150 mail servers belonging to 24/7 Exactis, a subsidiary of 24/7 Media, on its Realtime Blackhole List, its controversial compilation of alleged spammers. In an immediate response, 24/7 Exactis went to U.S. Federal District Court in Denver and filed a request for a temporary restraining order.

Yesterday’s actions resume a battle between MAPS and 24/7 Exactis that began earlier this year and was thought to have been settled last May when 24/7 Exactis assured MAPS that its would implement fully verified opt-in list management practices for all of its e-mail lists as well as those of its clients. (Verified opt-in refers to the practice of first asking consumers for permission to send commercial e-mail and then requiring the consumers to respond to a verification of the permission.)

MAPS, Redwood City, CA, said its decision to place 24/7 Exactis on the RBL occurred after Exactis repudiated a previously negotiated agreement. 24/7 Exactis’ argument then and now is that its e-mail clients – and not 24/7 Exactis – are responsible for establishing permission with the e-mail recipients.

The two parties were scheduled to present their cases before the court today.

Jason Gonzalez, DM News

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